Wandering albatross in flight, over the open sea. The wandering albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird, with the wingspan between, up to 12' from wingtip to wingtip. It can soar on the open ocean for hours at a time, riding the updrafts from individual swells, with a glide ratio of 22 units of distance for every unit of drop. The wandering albatross can live up to 23 years. They hunt at night on the open ocean for cephalopods, small fish, and crustaceans. The survival of the species is at risk due to mortality from long-line fishing gear, Diomedea exulans

Wandering Albatross In Flight, Southern Ocean

 King penguin, showing ornate and distinctive neck, breast and head plumage and orange beak, Aptenodytes patagonicus, Fortuna Bay

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) showing ornate and distinctive neck, breast and head plumage and orange beak. South Georgia Island.

 South Georgia Island coastline, showing the island's characteristic rugged topography. 56% of the island is covered by 161 glaciers, which have created numerous large bays and inlets that provide excellent habitat for marine animals and seabirds. Mountains meet the sea in steep-sided seacliffs covered with sparse vegetation. The highest point on South Georgia Island is Mt. Paget at 2,915m

South Georgia Island Coastline
Hiker looks down on Stromness Harbour from the pass high above

Stromness Harbour

 King penguin colony. Over 100,000 pairs of king penguins nest at Salisbury Plain, laying eggs in December and February, then alternating roles between foraging for food and caring for the egg or chick, Aptenodytes patagonicus

King penguin colony (Aptenodytes patagonicus). Over 100,000 pairs of king penguins nest at Salisbury Plain, South Georgia Island.

 Adult male Antarctic fur seal (bull), chasing down a female in his harem to confirm his dominance, during mating season, Arctocephalus gazella, Right Whale Bay

Adult Male Antarctic Fur Seal (Bull), Right Whale Bay
King penguin colony and the Bay of Isles on the northern coast of South Georgia Island. Over 100,000 nesting pairs of king penguins reside here. Dark patches in the colony are groups of juveniles with fluffy brown plumage. The icebreaker M/V Polar Star lies at anchor, Aptenodytes patagonicus, Salisbury Plain

King penguin colony and the Bay of Isles on the northern coast of South Georgia Island, Aptenodytes patagonicus.

 King penguins gather in a steam to molt, below a waterfall on a cobblestone beach at Hercules Bay, Aptenodytes patagonicus

King Penguin, Hercules Bay

 Fortuna Bay, with icebreaker M/V Polar Star at anchor

Fortuna Bay
Northern giant portrait, profile, head detail. The distinctive tube nose (naricorn), characteristic of species in the Procellariidae family (tube-snouts), is easily seen, Macronectes halli, Right Whale Bay

Northern Giant Portrait, Right Whale Bay

 M/V Polar Star, an icebreaker expedition ship, lies at anchor in Right Whale Bay, South Georgia Island. Antarctic fur seals on the beach, and the rugged South Georgia Island mountains in the distance. Sunset, dusk, Arctocephalus gazella

M/V Polar Star, Right Whale Bay

 Wandering albatross, on nest and the Prion Island colony. The wandering albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird, with the wingspan between, up to 12' from wingtip to wingtip. It can soar on the open ocean for hours at a time, riding the updrafts from individual swells, with a glide ratio of 22 units of distance for every unit of drop. The wandering albatross can live up to 23 years. They hunt at night on the open ocean for cephalopods, small fish, and crustaceans. The survival of the species is at risk due to mortality from long-line fishing gear, Diomedea exulans

Wandering Albatross, Prion Island
King penguin preening. Salisbury Plain, Bay of Isles, South Georgia Island, Aptenodytes patagonicus

King Penguin, Salisbury Plain

 Macaroni penguins, on the rocky shoreline of Hercules Bay, South Georgia Island. One of the crested penguin species, the macaroni penguin bears a distinctive yellow crest on its head. They grow to be about 12 lb and 28" high. Macaroni penguins eat primarily krill and other crustaceans, small fishes and cephalopods, Eudyptes chrysolophus

Macaroni penguins on the rocky shoreline of Hercules Bay, South Georgia Island, Eudyptes chrysolophus.

 Antarctic fur seal, Arctocephalus gazella, Hercules Bay

Antarctic Fur Seal, Hercules Bay
Macaroni penguin, on the rocky shoreline of Hercules Bay, South Georgia Island. One of the crested penguin species, the macaroni penguin bears a distinctive yellow crest on its head. They grow to be about 12 lb and 28" high. Macaroni penguins eat primarily krill and other crustaceans, small fishes and cephalopods, Eudyptes chrysolophus

Macaroni Penguin, Hercules Bay

 Oakum boys, juvenile king penguins at Salisbury Plain, South Georgia Island. Named 'oakum boys' by sailors for the resemblance of their brown fluffy plumage to the color of oakum used to caulk timbers on sailing ships, these year-old penguins will soon shed their fluffy brown plumage and adopt the colors of an adult, Aptenodytes patagonicus

King Penguin, Salisbury Plain

 Oakum boys, juvenile king penguins at Salisbury Plain, South Georgia Island. Named 'oakum boys' by sailors for the resemblance of their brown fluffy plumage to the color of oakum used to caulk timbers on sailing ships, these year-old penguins will soon shed their fluffy brown plumage and adopt the colors of an adult, Aptenodytes patagonicus

King Penguin, Salisbury Plain
King penguin colony at Salisbury Plain, Bay of Isles, South Georgia Island. Over 100,000 pairs of king penguins nest here, laying eggs in December and February, then alternating roles between foraging for food and caring for the egg or chick, Aptenodytes patagonicus

King Penguin, Salisbury Plain

 King penguin, solitary, standing, Aptenodytes patagonicus, Fortuna Bay

King penguin, South Georgia Island. Aptenodytes patagonicus.

 Drygalski Fjord, packed with brash ice which has broken away from Risting Glacier at the end of the narrow fjord

Drygalski Fjord
Mountains, glaciers and ocean, the rugged and beautiful topography of South Georgia Island, Grytviken

Mountains, glaciers and ocean, near Grytviken, South Georgia Island, Southern Ocean.
M/V Polar Star approaches Jenkins Glacier (left), Risting Glacier (center) and a third glacier (right) at the end of Drygalski Fjord

M/V Polar Star approaches Jenkins Glacier and Risting Glacier at the end of Drygalski Fjord. South Georgia Island.

 King penguin colony. Over 100,000 pairs of king penguins nest at Salisbury Plain, laying eggs in December and February, then alternating roles between foraging for food and caring for the egg or chick, Aptenodytes patagonicus

King penguin colony at Salisbury Plain, South Georgia Island.

 Antarctic fur seal, on grass slopes high above Fortuna Bay, Arctocephalus gazella

Antarctic Fur Seal, Fortuna Bay
Gentoo penguins, calling, heads raised, Pygoscelis papua, Godthul

Gentoo penguins calling, Pygoscelis papua, South Georgia Island.

 Gentoo penguin walking through tall grass, Pygoscelis papua, Godthul

Gentoo penguin walking through tall grass, South Georgia Island, Pygoscelis papua.

 Gentoo penguin stealing nesting material, moving it from one nest to another, Pygoscelis papua, Godthul

Gentoo penguin stealing nesting material, moving it from one nest to another. Godthul, South Georgia Island. Pygoscelis papua.
Macaroni penguins, on the rocky shoreline of Hercules Bay, South Georgia Island. One of the crested penguin species, the macaroni penguin bears a distinctive yellow crest on its head. They grow to be about 12 lb and 28" high. Macaroni penguins eat primarily krill and other crustaceans, small fishes and cephalopods, Eudyptes chrysolophus

Macaroni Penguin, Hercules Bay

 Gentoo penguins, permanent nesting colony in grassy hills about a mile inland from the ocean, near Stromness Bay, South Georgia Island, Pygoscelis papua, Stromness Harbour

Gentoo penguin nesting colony, in the hills near Stromness Harbour, South Georgia Island. Pygoscelis papua.

 View of Godthul, from the grassy slopes of South Georgia. The name Godthul, or "Good Hollow", dates back to Norwegian whalers who used this bay as a anchorage

Godthul
Gentoo penguins nesting beside a lake, snow-covered South Georgia mountains in the background, Pygoscelis papua, Godthul

Gentoo Penguin, Godthul

 King penguins and whale bones, on the cobblestone beach at Godthul, South Georgia Island. The whale bones are evidence of South Georgia's long and prolific history of whaling, Aptenodytes patagonicus

King Penguin, Godthul

 Wandering albatross in flight, over the open sea. The wandering albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird, with the wingspan between, up to 12' from wingtip to wingtip. It can soar on the open ocean for hours at a time, riding the updrafts from individual swells, with a glide ratio of 22 units of distance for every unit of drop. The wandering albatross can live up to 23 years. They hunt at night on the open ocean for cephalopods, small fish, and crustaceans. The survival of the species is at risk due to mortality from long-line fishing gear, Diomedea exulans

Wandering Albatross In Flight, Southern Ocean
Wandering albatross in flight, over the open sea. The wandering albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird, with the wingspan between, up to 12' from wingtip to wingtip. It can soar on the open ocean for hours at a time, riding the updrafts from individual swells, with a glide ratio of 22 units of distance for every unit of drop. The wandering albatross can live up to 23 years. They hunt at night on the open ocean for cephalopods, small fish, and crustaceans. The survival of the species is at risk due to mortality from long-line fishing gear, Diomedea exulans

Wandering Albatross In Flight, Southern Ocean

 King penguin colony, Right Whale Bay, South Georgia Island. Over 100,000 pairs of king penguins nest on South Georgia Island each summer, Aptenodytes patagonicus

King Penguin Colony, Right Whale Bay

 South Georgia Island coastline, showing the island's characteristic rugged topography. 56% of the island is covered by 161 glaciers, which have created numerous large bays and inlets that provide excellent habitat for marine animals and seabirds. Mountains meet the sea in steep-sided seacliffs covered with sparse vegetation. The highest point on South Georgia Island is Mt. Paget at 2,915m

South Georgia Island Coastline
Antarctic fur seals, adult male bull and female, illustrating extreme sexual dimorphism common among pinnipeds (seals, sea lions and fur seals), Arctocephalus gazella, Right Whale Bay

Antarctic Fur Seals, Right Whale Bay

 Wandering albatross, on nest and the Prion Island colony. The wandering albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird, with the wingspan between, up to 12' from wingtip to wingtip. It can soar on the open ocean for hours at a time, riding the updrafts from individual swells, with a glide ratio of 22 units of distance for every unit of drop. The wandering albatross can live up to 23 years. They hunt at night on the open ocean for cephalopods, small fish, and crustaceans. The survival of the species is at risk due to mortality from long-line fishing gear, Diomedea exulans

Wandering Albatross, Prion Island

 Icebreaker M/V Polar Star anchored in the Bay of Isles,offshore of the vast king penguin colony at Salisbury Plain, Aptenodytes patagonicus

King Penguin, Salisbury Plain
King penguin at Salisbury Plain, Bay of Isles, South Georgia Island, Aptenodytes patagonicus

King Penguin, Salisbury Plain

 King penguin, mated pair courting, displaying courtship behavior including mutual preening, Aptenodytes patagonicus, Salisbury Plain

King Penguin, Salisbury Plain

 King penguin colony, over 100,000 nesting pairs, viewed from above. The brown patches are groups of 'oakum boys', juveniles in distinctive brown plumage. Salisbury Plain, Bay of Isles, South Georgia Island, Aptenodytes patagonicus

King Penguin, Salisbury Plain
King penguin colony. Over 100,000 pairs of king penguins nest at Salisbury Plain, laying eggs in December and February, then alternating roles between foraging for food and caring for the egg or chick, Aptenodytes patagonicus

King Penguin, Salisbury Plain

 Oakum boys, juvenile king penguins at Salisbury Plain, South Georgia Island. Named 'oakum boys' by sailors for the resemblance of their brown fluffy plumage to the color of oakum used to caulk timbers on sailing ships, these year-old penguins will soon shed their fluffy brown plumage and adopt the colors of an adult, Aptenodytes patagonicus

King Penguin, Salisbury Plain

 King penguin colony. Over 100,000 pairs of king penguins nest at Salisbury Plain, laying eggs in December and February, then alternating roles between foraging for food and caring for the egg or chick, Aptenodytes patagonicus

King Penguin, Salisbury Plain
King penguin colony at Salisbury Plain, Bay of Isles, South Georgia Island. Over 100,000 pairs of king penguins nest here, laying eggs in December and February, then alternating roles between foraging for food and caring for the egg or chick, Aptenodytes patagonicus

King penguin colony at Salisbury Plain, Bay of Isles, South Georgia Island, Aptenodytes patagonicus.

 Southern elephant seal, juvenile. The southern elephant seal is the largest pinniped, and the largest member of order Carnivora, ever to have existed. It gets its name from the large proboscis (nose) it has when it has grown to adulthood, Mirounga leonina, Hercules Bay

Southern Elephant Seal, Hercules Bay

 Macaroni penguin, on the rocky shoreline of Hercules Bay, South Georgia Island. One of the crested penguin species, the macaroni penguin bears a distinctive yellow crest on its head. They grow to be about 12 lb and 28" high. Macaroni penguins eat primarily krill and other crustaceans, small fishes and cephalopods, Eudyptes chrysolophus

Macaroni Penguin, Hercules Bay
Antarctic fur seal, adult male (bull), Arctocephalus gazella, Hercules Bay

Antarctic Fur Seal, Hercules Bay

 King penguin colony, over 100,000 nesting pairs, viewed from above. The brown patches are groups of 'oakum boys', juveniles in distinctive brown plumage. Salisbury Plain, Bay of Isles, South Georgia Island, Aptenodytes patagonicus

King Penguin, Salisbury Plain

 Oakum boys, juvenile king penguins at Salisbury Plain, South Georgia Island. Named 'oakum boys' by sailors for the resemblance of their brown fluffy plumage to the color of oakum used to caulk timbers on sailing ships, these year-old penguins will soon shed their fluffy brown plumage and adopt the colors of an adult, Aptenodytes patagonicus

King Penguin, Salisbury Plain
King penguin, showing ornate and distinctive neck, breast and head plumage and orange beak, Aptenodytes patagonicus, Fortuna Bay

King penguin portrait, Aptenodytes patagonicus, South Georgia Island.

 King penguin, showing ornate and distinctive neck, breast and head plumage and orange beak, Aptenodytes patagonicus, Fortuna Bay

King Penguin, Fortuna Bay

 Southern elephant seal, juvenile. The southern elephant seal is the largest pinniped, and the largest member of order Carnivora, ever to have existed. It gets its name from the large proboscis (nose) it has when it has grown to adulthood, Mirounga leonina, Fortuna Bay

Southern Elephant Seal, Fortuna Bay
Antarctic fur seal, young pup, juvenile, Arctocephalus gazella, Fortuna Bay

Antarctic Fur Seal, Fortuna Bay

 An antarctic fur seal pup plays in the water, Arctocephalus gazella, Fortuna Bay

Antarctic Fur Seal, Fortuna Bay

 Leucistic juvenile antarctic fur seal, young pup, juvenile, blond. A leucistic animal is one that has pigmentation levels far below normal and is thus much more lightly colored, Arctocephalus gazella, Fortuna Bay

Antarctic Fur Seal, Fortuna Bay
King penguin, wing detail. The king penguin uses its wings as flipper underwater, enabling it to swim fast, Aptenodytes patagonicus, Fortuna Bay

King Penguin, Fortuna Bay

 Drygalski Fjord, passengers on icebreak M/V Polar Star. The water is packed with brash ice which has broken away from Risting Glacier at the end of the narrow fjord

Drygalski Fjord

 Macaroni penguin, amid tall tussock grass, Cooper Bay, South Georgia Island, Eudyptes chrysolophus

Macaroni Penguin, Cooper Bay
Drygalski Fjord, packed with brash ice which has broken away from Risting Glacier at the end of the narrow fjord

Drygalski Fjord

 Antarctic fur seals, on tussock grass slopes near Grytviken, Arctocephalus gazella

Antarctic Fur Seal, Grytviken

 Juvenile 'oakum boy' penguin begs for food, which the adult will regurgitate from its stomach after foraging at sea. This scene plays out thousands of times each hour amid the vast king penguin colony at Salisbury Plain, where over 100,000 pairs of king penguins nest and rear their chicks, Aptenodytes patagonicus

King Penguin, Salisbury Plain
Hercules Bay, with the steep mountains and narrow waterfalls of South Georgia Island rising above

Hercules Bay
Grassy windy highlands and rocks, overlooking alluvial floodplain formed by glacier runoff near Stromness Bay, Stromness Harbour

Stromness Harbour

 Reindeer on South Georgia Island. Reindeer (known as caribou when wild) were introduced to South Georgia Island by Norway in the early 20th Century. There are now two distinct herds which are permanently separated by glaciers, Rangifer tarandus, Fortuna Bay

Reindeer, Fortuna Bay

 Fortuna Bay, with icebreaker M/V Polar Star at anchor

Fortuna Bay
M/V Polar Star approaches Jenkins Glacier (left), Risting Glacier (center) and a third glacier (right) at the end of Drygalski Fjord

M/V Polar Star approaches Jenkins Glacier, Risting Glacier and the end of Drygalski Fjord. South Georgia Island.

 Gentoo penguin walking through tall grass, Pygoscelis papua, Godthul

Gentoo Penguin, Godthul

 Antarctic fur seal colony, on a sand beach alongside Right Whale Bay, with the mountains of South Georgia Island in the background, sunset, Arctocephalus gazella

Antarctic Fur Seal Colony, Right Whale Bay
South Georgia Island coastline, showing the island's characteristic rugged topography. 56% of the island is covered by 161 glaciers, which have created numerous large bays and inlets that provide excellent habitat for marine animals and seabirds. Mountains meet the sea in steep-sided seacliffs covered with sparse vegetation. The highest point on South Georgia Island is Mt. Paget at 2,915m

South Georgia Island Coastline

 King penguin colony, Right Whale Bay, South Georgia Island. Over 100,000 pairs of king penguins nest on South Georgia Island each summer, Aptenodytes patagonicus

King Penguin Colony, Right Whale Bay

 King penguin colony and the Bay of Isles on the northern coast of South Georgia Island. Over 100,000 nesting pairs of king penguins reside here. Dark patches in the colony are groups of juveniles with fluffy brown plumage. The icebreaker M/V Polar Star lies at anchor, Aptenodytes patagonicus, Salisbury Plain

King Penguin, Salisbury Plain
King penguin colony and the Bay of Isles on the northern coast of South Georgia Island. Over 100,000 nesting pairs of king penguins reside here. Dark patches in the colony are groups of juveniles with fluffy brown plumage. The icebreaker M/V Polar Star lies at anchor, Aptenodytes patagonicus, Salisbury Plain

King Penguin, Salisbury Plain

 Hercules Bay, with icebreaker M/V Polar Star at anchor, below the steep mountains of South Georgia Island

Hercules Bay

 King penguins gather in a steam to molt, below a waterfall on a cobblestone beach at Hercules Bay, Aptenodytes patagonicus

King Penguin, Hercules Bay
Brown skua in grass, Stercorarius antarctica, Stromness Harbour

Brown Skua, Stromness Harbour

 Glacial melt waters, runoff, flows across an alluvial flood plain between mountains, on its way to Stromness Bay, Stromness Harbour

Stromness Harbour

 Shackleton Falls, named for explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, formed from glacial meltwaters, near Stromness Bay, Stromness Harbour

Stromness Harbour
Shale covered rocky slope, near the pass over South Georgia Island between Fortuna Bay and Stromness Bay

A hiker ascends the slopes of South Georgia Island above Fortuna Bay

Fortuna Bay

 Northern giant petrel scavenging a fur seal carcass. Giant petrels will often feed on carrion, defending it in a territorial manner from other petrels and carrion feeders, Macronectes halli, Right Whale Bay

Northern Giant Petrel Scavenging A Fur Seal Carcass, Right Whale Bay
Wandering albatross in flight, over the open sea. The wandering albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird, with the wingspan between, up to 12' from wingtip to wingtip. It can soar on the open ocean for hours at a time, riding the updrafts from individual swells, with a glide ratio of 22 units of distance for every unit of drop. The wandering albatross can live up to 23 years. They hunt at night on the open ocean for cephalopods, small fish, and crustaceans. The survival of the species is at risk due to mortality from long-line fishing gear, Diomedea exulans

Wandering Albatross In Flight, Southern Ocean

 Antarctic fur seal, juveniles or females, Arctocephalus gazella, Right Whale Bay

Antarctic Fur Seal, Right Whale Bay

 Antarctic fur seal carcass, lying on pebble beach. Dead fur seals are quickly scavenged by giant petrels, leaving the pelt and skeleton of the dead fur seal, Arctocephalus gazella, Right Whale Bay

Antarctic Fur Seal Carcass, Right Whale Bay
Adult male bull Antarctic fur seal, amid his harem of females and juvenile fur seals, Arctocephalus gazella, Right Whale Bay

Adult Male Bull Antarctic Fur Seal, Right Whale Bay

 Wandering albatross, on nest and the Prion Island colony. The wandering albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird, with the wingspan between, up to 12' from wingtip to wingtip. It can soar on the open ocean for hours at a time, riding the updrafts from individual swells, with a glide ratio of 22 units of distance for every unit of drop. The wandering albatross can live up to 23 years. They hunt at night on the open ocean for cephalopods, small fish, and crustaceans. The survival of the species is at risk due to mortality from long-line fishing gear, Diomedea exulans

Wandering Albatross, Prion Island

 King penguin, mated pair courting, displaying courtship behavior including mutual preening, Aptenodytes patagonicus, Salisbury Plain

King Penguin, Salisbury Plain
King penguin colony. Over 100,000 pairs of king penguins nest at Salisbury Plain, laying eggs in December and February, then alternating roles between foraging for food and caring for the egg or chick, Aptenodytes patagonicus

King Penguin, Salisbury Plain

 King penguin colony. Over 100,000 pairs of king penguins nest at Salisbury Plain, laying eggs in December and February, then alternating roles between foraging for food and caring for the egg or chick, Aptenodytes patagonicus

King Penguin, Salisbury Plain

 King penguins at Salisbury Plain. Silver and black penguins are adults, while brown penguins are 'oakum boys', juveniles named for their distinctive fluffy plumage that will soon molt and taken on adult coloration, Aptenodytes patagonicus

King Penguin, Salisbury Plain
Shackleton Memorial Cross, with mountains of South Georgia Island, Grytviken

Grytviken

 King penguin, showing ornate and distinctive neck, breast and head plumage and orange beak, Aptenodytes patagonicus, Fortuna Bay

King Penguin, Fortuna Bay

 Macaroni penguin, amid tall tussock grass, Cooper Bay, South Georgia Island, Eudyptes chrysolophus

Macaroni Penguin, Cooper Bay
M/V Polar Star at anchor in a snowstorm, Cooper Bay

Cooper Bay

 Drygalski Fjord, packed with brash ice which has broken away from the glacier at the end of the narrow fjord

Drygalski Fjord

 Drygalski Fjord, packed with brash ice which has broken away from the glacier at the end of the narrow fjord

Drygalski Fjord
Icebreaker M/V Polar Star approaches Elsehul harbor on South Georgia Island

Icebreaker M/V Polar Star Approaches Elsehul Harbor On South Georgia Island.

 Antarctic fur seal carcass, lying on pebble beach. Dead fur seals are quickly scavenged by giant petrels, leaving the pelt and skeleton of the dead fur seal, Arctocephalus gazella, Right Whale Bay

Antarctic Fur Seal Carcass, Right Whale Bay

 The South Georgia Pintail duck, also known as the South Georgian Teal, is endemic to South Georgia Island and is a vagrant to the South Sandwich Islands. The South Georgia Pintail feeds on a variety of marine and freshwater vegetation, including algae, as well as upon invertebrates, Anas georgica georgica, Grytviken

South Georgia Pintail, Grytviken
King penguins, showing ornate and distinctive neck, breast and head plumage and orange beak, Aptenodytes patagonicus, Grytviken

King Penguin, Grytviken

 Gentoo penguin stealing nesting material, moving it from one nest to another, Pygoscelis papua, Godthul

Gentoo Penguin, Godthul

 Gentoo penguins, calling, heads raised, Pygoscelis papua, Godthul

Gentoo Penguin, Godthul
Gentoo penguin, walking through tall grass, snow falling, Pygoscelis papua, Godthul

Gentoo Penguin, Godthul

 King penguin colony and the Bay of Isles on the northern coast of South Georgia Island. Over 100,000 nesting pairs of king penguins reside here. Dark patches in the colony are groups of juveniles with fluffy brown plumage. The icebreaker M/V Polar Star lies at anchor, Aptenodytes patagonicus, Salisbury Plain

King Penguin, Salisbury Plain

 Zodiac inflatable skiff boat, with mountains of South Georgia Island, on the Bay of Isles, Salisbury Plain

Salisbury Plain
Grytviken whale station, abandoned storage tanks

Grytviken

 Wandering albatross in flight, over the open sea. The wandering albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird, with the wingspan between, up to 12' from wingtip to wingtip. It can soar on the open ocean for hours at a time, riding the updrafts from individual swells, with a glide ratio of 22 units of distance for every unit of drop. The wandering albatross can live up to 23 years. They hunt at night on the open ocean for cephalopods, small fish, and crustaceans. The survival of the species is at risk due to mortality from long-line fishing gear, Diomedea exulans

Wandering Albatross In Flight, Southern Ocean

 Wandering albatross in flight, over the open sea. The wandering albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird, with the wingspan between, up to 12' from wingtip to wingtip. It can soar on the open ocean for hours at a time, riding the updrafts from individual swells, with a glide ratio of 22 units of distance for every unit of drop. The wandering albatross can live up to 23 years. They hunt at night on the open ocean for cephalopods, small fish, and crustaceans. The survival of the species is at risk due to mortality from long-line fishing gear, Diomedea exulans

Wandering Albatross In Flight, Southern Ocean
South Georgia Island, spire and sunset clouds, showing the island's characteristic rugged topography. 56% of the island is covered by 161 glaciers, which have created numerous large bays and inlets that provide excellent habitat for marine animals and seabirds. Mountains meet the sea in steep-sided seacliffs covered with sparse vegetation. The highest point on South Georgia Island is Mt. Paget at 2,915m, Right Whale Bay

South Georgia Island, Right Whale Bay

 South Georgia shag, or Imperial shag, a type of cormorant, in flight alongside South Georgia Island, Phalacrocorax atriceps georgianus, Leucocarbo atriceps georgianus

South Georgia Shag

 Northern giant petrel on pebble beach, Macronectes halli, Right Whale Bay

Northern Giant Petrel On Pebble Beach., Right Whale Bay
Antarctic fur seal, Arctocephalus gazella, Hercules Bay

Antarctic Fur Seal, Hercules Bay

 An antarctic fur seal pup plays in the water, Arctocephalus gazella, Fortuna Bay

Antarctic Fur Seal, Fortuna Bay

 King penguin, showing ornate and distinctive neck, breast and head plumage and orange beak, Aptenodytes patagonicus, Fortuna Bay

King Penguin, Fortuna Bay
King penguin, solitary, standing, Aptenodytes patagonicus, Fortuna Bay

King Penguin, Fortuna Bay

 Southern elephant seal, juvenile. The southern elephant seal is the largest pinniped, and the largest member of order Carnivora, ever to have existed. It gets its name from the large proboscis (nose) it has when it has grown to adulthood, Mirounga leonina, Fortuna Bay

Southern Elephant Seal, Fortuna Bay

 Antarctic fur seal, adult male (bull), showing distinctive pointed snout and long whiskers that are typical of many fur seal species, Arctocephalus gazella, Fortuna Bay

Antarctic Fur Seal, Fortuna Bay
Antarctic fur seal, adult male (bull), showing distinctive pointed snout and long whiskers that are typical of many fur seal species, Arctocephalus gazella, Fortuna Bay

Antarctic Fur Seal, Fortuna Bay

 Antarctic fur seal, young pup, juvenile, Arctocephalus gazella, Fortuna Bay

Antarctic Fur Seal, Fortuna Bay

 Reindeer on South Georgia Island. Reindeer (known as caribou when wild) were introduced to South Georgia Island by Norway in the early 20th Century. There are now two distinct herds which are permanently separated by glaciers, Rangifer tarandus, Fortuna Bay

Reindeer, Fortuna Bay
Hercules Bay, with icebreaker M/V Polar Star at anchor, below the steep mountains of South Georgia Island

Icebreaker Ship M/V Polar Star, Hercules Bay

 Shackleton Falls, named for explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, formed from glacial meltwaters, near Stromness Bay, Stromness Harbour

Stromness Harbour

 Gentoo penguins, permanent nesting colony in grassy hills about a mile inland from the ocean, near Stromness Bay, South Georgia Island, Pygoscelis papua, Stromness Harbour

Gentoo Penguin, Stromness Harbour
Shackleton Falls, named for explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, formed from glacial meltwaters, near Stromness Bay, Stromness Harbour

Stromness Harbour

 Looking down on Stromness Bay from the pass high above, Stromness Harbour

Stromness Harbour

 Northern giant petrel scavenging a fur seal carcass. Giant petrels will often feed on carrion, defending it in a territorial manner from other petrels and carrion feeders, Macronectes halli, Right Whale Bay

Northern Giant Petrel Scavenging A Fur Seal Carcass, Right Whale Bay